REVIEW: A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers - Towers of Silence

With a name that references a variety of works - from a song by VAN DER GRAAF GENERATOR to a film by Robert Eggers, the band A PLAGUE OF LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS are no strangers to taking influence from across the spectrum of art and culture. Based in Haarlem in the Netherlands, the group has garnered a reputation for unpredictable and intense live shows, all the while collaborating with plenty of other musicians.

Now, they’ve come to the point of releasing their debut EP, named Towers of Silence. A three track release, it appears small at first before you realise that it ends up around the 20 minute mark through each song being a minimum of five minutes, up to nearly ten.

Opening with lead single The Massacre of Flour - a ferocious statement condemning the hideous ongoing genocide against the Palestinian people - the EP starts off in potent fashion. The near seven minute runtime allows plenty of room for the band to expand the blend of doom and sludge into post-metal territories, without ever compromising on the claustrophobic atmosphere being created.

I Fuck People comes next, which takes a hugely different musical direction and lyrical theme. Showing their support for global queer and marginalised communities, A PLAGUE OF LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS broaden their scope into a doomy free jazz band, expanding their sonic palette and showing off the variety of talents and instruments at their disposal. Alternating between pure chaos and some moments of slightly more minimalist space, the song is a wild six minutes of both intensity and room to breath.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZX3S8km0bNw

To finish we’re treated to the title track of the EP, which is the longest piece yet at a good nine and a bit minutes long. A more drone-based song that dwells on human finality, and asks where we can find meaning and hope amidst it all. A multitude of spiritual styles are rolled into one great maelstrom here, never overtaking the overarching drone and still incorporating the doom and sludge of earlier. Mournful and meditative, it’s a brilliant track to get lost in and feels like a very consciously crafted piece of music, that sounds up everything that has been before with a (rather long) flourish.

Whilst it’s only three songs long, Towers of Silence does not let its time go to waste with three potent statements, all made over the top of fantastically fascinating, free flowing heavy and avantgarde music. An intriguing, perplexing, and deeply rewarding listen, this EP makes for a standout start to A PLAGUE OF LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS’ recorded collection.

Score: 8/10

Towers of Silence will be released on May 9th 2026 via Lay Bare Recordings.

Words: Jasmine Longhurst

Photos: A Plague of Lighthouse Keepers